The DateNight Catastrophe
by bandgeek215
Summary: Sheldon and Amy encounter a terrifying and life-threatening situation while they are on a date. Unfortunately, only one of them escapes. Rated T for angst and mild language. I don't own anything.
1. Chapter 1

It was a gorgeous evening in Pasadena and, of course, Sheldon and Amy remained inside to play a rousing game of "Counterfactuals" before their dinner date. They were enjoying their time together in the way that they found normal. They didn't care that everyone believed them to be the estranged couple. All they wanted was a simple, non-romantic relationship. At least, that's what Sheldon wanted. Amy wasn't as opposed to the idea of physical contact and exchange of saliva as Sheldon was. He liked his space and did everything possible to make sure that things went the way he wanted. But Amy, not wanting to upset her boyfriend, let Sheldon have his way.

"Okay, Amy. Next question. In a world where cats do not exist, what food is no longer consumed by humans?"

Amy didn't even have to think of the answer. "Cheese."

"Defend."

"Although quite obvious, the average cat kills 11 mice per six months, which means the rodent population stays in check. Without cats, there is an overabundance of rats and mice. Since they typically eat cheese, we run out and can no longer eat the delicious dairy product."

"Correct."

Amy smiled in satisfaction. It was always a wonderful feeling to know that she was just as smart as Sheldon. She never wanted to look like a fool in front of him.

"Oh my, it's already dinner time," Sheldon said as he looked at his watch. "Where would you like to go for dinner, Amy?"

"Well, I was thinking we'd go to the Cheesecake Factory. Penny should be on her way to work so she can give us a ride there."

"Well, how are we supposed to get back home?"

"We'll call Leonard. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to pick us up."

"Alright, that sounds fine." Sheldon said as he stood up. He grabbed his jacket, along with Amy's, and they headed out the door. Penny was simultaneously coming out of her apartment, dressed in her work uniform.

"Hey Sheldon. Hey Amy," Penny said with a smile.

"Hey bestie! Would you mind driving us to the Cheesecake Factory? It's date night." Amy was smiling in hopes that Penny would agree.

"Oh, sure. Let's go," Penny replied. All three flung their jackets on and headed down the stairs and out to Penny's car.


	2. Chapter 2

After enjoying a meal of cheeseburgers and lemonade, the couple stepped outside so Sheldon could call Leonard for a ride home.

"Hello Leonard. I need you to give Amy and me a ride home…we're at the Cheesecake Factory…it's date night…Penny brought us…but Leonard…I don't care if you are all at the comic book store…we're not…Leonard?...Hello?" He removed his phone from his ear and looked at it with confusion.

"What is it?" Amy asked

"He hung up on me," Sheldon complained. "That was a little uncalled for."

"What do you propose we do? Call a cab?"

Sheldon wrinkled his nose. "Taxi cabs, in my opinion, are like buses. They're dirty and unpleasant."

"We could walk to the comic book store and meet Leonard there. It isn't too far away."

"It's a little dark out, don't you think?"

"Sheldon, don't worry. And really, what other choice do we have?"

"Hmm…alright," he said reluctantly. "Let's start walking."

Sheldon slipped his phone into his bag. He and Amy walked side by side down the sidewalk. They were having a nice time walking, talking, and window shopping. Their nice time, however, was interrupted all too suddenly as they passed an alley just a few blocks from the comic book store.

"Stop right there, you two," a gruff voice said.

Sheldon and Amy froze. They slowly turned around to find a tall, dirty looking man behind them. "What do you want?" Sheldon asked.

"I just wanna see how cooperative you are," the man teased.

Amy looked at Sheldon with confusion and fear on her face. He instinctively grabbed her hand and held it as tight as he could. "Go away," Sheldon commanded. He turned and started to walk away, still hanging on to Amy's hand. All of a sudden, Amy gasped. He turned around to see the man with a switchblade in his hand, pointing it at his girlfriend. Sheldon jumped and pulled Amy close to him.

"You're not going anywhere, punk," threatened the man. All of a sudden, three other men strolled out of the darkness. Two of the men went behind the frightened couple. The other one joined the first man in front of them. "Now, step away from the girl," the man told Sheldon.

"Why? What do you want with her?" Sheldon sounded angry.

"It's none of your business," one of the man's goons said.

"Sheldon!" Amy whispered in a panicked tone. She was so frightened, she was practically in tears.

Sheldon wrapped his arms around Amy and held her as close as he possibly could. Seeing the terror in her eyes and hearing it in her voice made his protective nature towards her overcome his whole mind. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and to comfort her. "It'll be okay, Amy. I promise," he whispered in her ear. Then, he looked up at the men surrounding them. "I won't let you hurt her. I refuse to let her go."

The first man sneered at Sheldon. He and his goons inched closer to them. "Then we're going to have a problem." He stared at Sheldon for the longest time and tightened his grip on the switchblade in his hand.

Tears started to stream down Amy's face as the terror in her built up. Sheldon started to panic. Adrenaline filled his body. He knew he had to get Amy out of there. He had to step up and be a hero. He buried his face in Amy's hair and tightened his hold on her. He quickly whispered in her ear, "When I tell you to run, you must run. Do you understand?" She nodded. "I love you, Amy." She started crying harder as a response to what he'd just said. With a deep breath Sheldon summoned up all of the courage in his heart, whispered to her "run!" and then pushed her off to the side far enough to give her the chance to escape.


	3. Chapter 3

I added a very minor character for the sake of helping the chapter move along a little bit. I hope that it worked. I'm a little lost in my thoughts right now and am having a hard time moving on with the story. Hopefully I can get another chapter or two done soon (if you want me to keep going, that is).

...

Amy ran down the street as fast as her legs would move. She had no idea where she was going due to the tears in her eyes. She just ran. Within a few minutes, she managed to find the comic book store through her blurred vision. She burst through the door and ran into the first pair of recognizable arms she saw. The arms, which were covered by the sleeves of an army-green hooded jacket, grabbed Amy before she collapsed to the ground. She grabbed at the collar of the jacket and sobbed into Leonard's shoulder.

"Amy, what the hell is going on?" Leonard asked, slightly freaked out at what was happening.

"Sheldon…we were walking…a man…four men…knife…they threatened us…" Amy managed to get most of the key words out of her mouth in between sobs.

"Woah, woah, woah…Amy, calm down, please," Leonard said as he tilted her face up. He was concerned with some of the words he had just heard. He waited until her crying was under control and then asked "Can you _calmly _tell me what happened?"

She let go of Leonard's jacket and wiped the tears from her face. "A few blocks away, there were these guys. They had knives and they threatened to hurt me." She inhaled deeply. "Sheldon told me to run and…" Her eyes widened. "Oh god, Sheldon! We have to go back for him!" She tried to escape but Leonard quickly grabbed her by the hand and restrained her.

"Amy, what if those guys are still there? Do you want to risk getting hurt?"

"I don't care. I have to make sure he's okay." She struggled to free herself.

"How about if we go with you to find Sheldon?" Howard suggested.

Amy looked at Leonard, desperation on her face. "Fine," Leonard gave in. "But be on your toes." He, Raj, Howard and Amy linked arms and walked out of the comic book store. As they walked down the side walk, police cars zipped by, their sirens wailing.

Amy grew impatient. She detached herself from the group and started to run. The guys chased after her. In the distance, Amy could see the police in the streets pointing their guns at the four men who ruined date-night. She stopped running and looked around. This is where the whole thing started? Where was Sheldon?

"What is it?" Howard asked when he and his friends caught up with Amy.

"Those men…they must have run when they heard the police. This is where they were when I ran from the scene." Amy looked at the guys with concern. She slowly crept into the dark alley. She tiptoed her way across the pavement as if she were trying not to disturb anyone or anything. Just as she was about to turn to walk back towards the street, she saw the shadow of a person lying still in the middle of the alley. She snatched her cell phone from her pocket and shined the light towards the shadow. The first thing the light shined on was the all too familiar tan windbreaker. Her eyes welled up as she ran towards the body.

"No, no, no," she muttered to herself. Her heart ripped out of her chest when the light beamed on the face of the figure. "LEONARD!" She screamed. "Oh my god...oh my god, no…"

"Oh my god!" Leonard exclaimed when he saw a lifeless-looking Sheldon lying in the shadows. He picked Sheldon up and carried him out of the alley. Howard and Raj gasped when they saw Sheldon limp in Leonard's arms. After he set Sheldon down on the sidewalk, Amy kneeled to the ground. She hadn't noticed until then that Sheldon was bleeding profusely. She grabbed his wrist and let out a small sigh of relief when she felt his pulse.

"He's still alive," she whimpered. "But just barely." She was overwhelmed by the amount of cuts and bruises he had. She winced at the deep gash in his left shoulder.

From across the street, an older lady dashed out of a pastry shop. She made a beeline for Leonard. "Hello, Leonard."

"Hi, Mrs. Coleman." He had known Mrs. Colman for several years. She lived in one of the apartments on the second floor. He and Sheldon often visited her pastry shop to indulge in her made-from-scratch cupcakes.

"How is he?" she asked.

"Alive. But in critical condition." Leonard voice was somber.

"The whole thing was just terrible. I called the police when I saw those men approach your friends. After the girl ran, I saw Sheldon start to tackle one of those men to the ground. He was quite brave. But it didn't take long before the other three dragged Sheldon to the ground. They were kicking and hitting him…I called an ambulance a while ago. It should be here soon." She seemed pretty distraught.

"Thank God for you, Mrs. Coleman."

"Everything will be alright, dear. Don't you worry." She smiled unconvincingly at him.

At that moment, sirens sounded in the distance. Leonard turned to look at Amy, who was kneeling down next to Sheldon and gently stroking his hair. "Amy, the ambulance is almost here," he said to try and reassure her.

"You'll be okay, Sheldon," Amy whispered to her unconscious boyfriend. "Please don't leave me."


	4. Chapter 4

The lights of the ambulance flashed brightly. Leonard and Mrs. Coleman were talking with one of the paramedics. Howard was on the phone. Amy had Raj by the arm and had her face buried in his shoulder. She couldn't endure the sight of the paramedics lifting Sheldon onto the gurney, strapping him down and carting him to the ambulance. Raj looked a little uncomfortable being so close to Amy but he did his best to comfort his friend.

"I just got off the phone with Bernadette," Howard said when he approached Amy and Raj. "She told Penny what happened and they both got people to cover the remainder of their shifts. They're going to meet us at the hospital." Raj nodded to give Howard an "okay."

Leonard joined them after they finished speaking with the paramedic. "Alright, we'd better get to the hospital," he said when he heard the sound of ambulance doors slamming shut. Mrs. Coleman had already gone back to her bakery across the street. Howard, Raj and Leonard escorted Amy back to where Leonard had parked his car. Howard jumped on his Vespa (which was also in front of the comic book store) and the other three piled into Leonard's car. They drove as fast as the law allowed them to all the way to the hospital. Once there they scrambled out of their vehicles, ran into the building and dashed up the stairs. They raced through the hallways to the waiting room where they found Penny and Bernadette.

"Oh, Howie!" Bernadette exclaimed when she saw her husband. She ran into his arms and cried. "I can't believe this!"

"I know, Bernadette. I can't believe it either," Howard said. He kissed her forehead and then led her back to her seat.

Leonard looked at Penny, who stood up and ran towards him. He held out his arms for her to run into, but she ended up running past him. It took him by surprise for a moment until he saw Penny throw her arms around Amy.

"Oh my god, Amy. I'm so glad you didn't get hurt," she said. "But I can't believe what happened to Sheldon. This is _horrible_." She looked at Amy, who had tears streaming down her face. Penny gave her one more hug before she finally let Raj lead her to a seat near Howard and Bernadette. She went over to Leonard. They embraced for a moment before Penny pulled away and said "I called Sheldon's mother. She's going to catch the first flight here that she can get. She sounded so worried."

"I'm guessing she's more than worried," Leonard said. Penny glared at him. "Not helping. Got it."

Penny looked over at Amy. She had her face buried in her hands. Bernadette was consoling her. "Seeing Amy like that…it's breaking my heart. It makes me realize just how important Sheldon is to her. I hate this, Leonard! I absolutely HATE this!" She was upset now; crying, in fact. Leonard hugged her again and tried to calm her down. "I'm sorry, Leonard," she sobbed.

"For what?" he asked.

"For crying like this. I was trying to be strong. But, Amy's my best friend. Seeing her so upset is so hard for me to deal with. And Sheldon…god, he's practically family to me. He's like my annoying brother. The whole situation is just killing me inside." She wiped the tears from her eyes.

"It's okay, Penny. Nobody said you weren't allowed to be upset about this. Everyone's a mess right now. Go ahead and cry." He kissed her on the cheek. They joined the rest of the group. They sat around for a good few hours before Mary Cooper bounded through the doors.

"Where's my baby?" she begged.

"We haven't heard anything yet. It's ridiculous," Leonard told her.

"Well, how did he get hurt?"

"We're a little short on the details. All we really know is that he was attacked by muggers or something. Amy was there too but she got away before she was hurt."

Mary looked at Amy. She wasn't sobbing as much as she had been but there were still tears falling from her eyes. Mary hurried over to Amy and put a hand on her shoulder. Amy looked up at Sheldon's mother with saddened eyes. Mary smiled weakly. Then she slowly turned and sat down away from the group of friends. She folded her hands together and bowed her head.

Then she began to whisper prayers. The gang fell silent and continued to sit around comforting each other and waiting for news on their dearest Sheldon.

"Dr. Hofstadter?" a man's voice came from across the waiting room.

Leonard leaped up and hurried over to the doctor that had called his name. Everyone else followed him. After they had all gathered around the doctor, Leonard asked "How is Sheldon? Is he going to be okay?"

"Dr. Hofstadter, Sheldon is in a very unstable state. We've done everything we can to help him. He is currently on life support."

"Damnit!" Leonard said through gritted teeth. He noticed everyone around him tense up. He let out a frustrated sigh before he asked "is there any chance that he'll survive if he's taken off of the life support?"

"There is a chance, but it is _very_ slim. He had a lot of internal bleeding that we've controlled quite a bit and his heart rate is still really low. We want to keep him on it for a little longer to see if there are any changes. But by the way things look now it is likely that Dr. Cooper will not survive. I'm sorry."

A wave of sadness overcame Sheldon's friends and family. Bernadette let out a whispered "no." She put a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes. Howard put his hands on her shoulders and stood close behind her. Penny started crying. She put her arms around Leonard and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and then kissed her on the top of the head. A few tears streamed down his cheeks. Mary closed her eyes and tried to hold back her tears. She could only hold them back for a few seconds before they were trickling down her face. Raj put his hands in his pockets and shifted his eyes to the ground. All were speechless.

And then there was Amy. She stood motionless, clutching her fists and holding her breath. Her tired eyes became worried and lost in thought. Her whole body started to tremble. Tears filled her eyes but she forced them back. She wanted to scream. Every inch of her body was tense. She fought back every urge to cry out, but everything that had built up inside of her found a way to the outside. Her knees dropped to the ground and she burst into tears. Mary ran over to her side and put an arm around Amy's shoulders. Amy rested her head on Mary's shoulder, her cheeks drenched in tears.

_Not Sheldon,_ she thought. _Not MY Sheldon._

_..._

Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad people are enjoying this. I never mentioned before that this is my first fanfic so I was really nervous about posting it. I apologize for this chapter being pretty slow and long. But I wanted to capture everyone's emotions and show just how much Sheldon means to everyone. Stay tuned for the next chapter and bring on the reviews! :)


	5. Chapter 5

The smell of Mary Cooper's southern-fried chicken filled the air of apartment 4A. Almost everyone flocked to the food like pigeons when Mary started to fill up the plates on the counter. Amy was the only one who didn't. She had been sitting in the spot next to Sheldon's staring mindlessly at the glowing television.

"I'm really worried about Amy," Raj said after he took a sip of beer. "She looks so tired and downtrodden."

"I think we're all worried about her," Penny said. "She really cares about him. Ugh, this is horrible. I really wish she would come over here and eat. All she's had in the past forty-eight hours is a couple of granola bars and some water."

Mary, who had overheard Penny and Raj talking, walked over to her son's girlfriend and sat down next to her. "Amy, dear, please come grab a plate," she said gently.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Cooper. But I'm not hungry," Amy replied weakly. "And please don't sit in Sheldon's spot. He wouldn't like it."

Mary sighed and then stood up. She walked back into the kitchen and exchanged a disappointed look with Penny.

"I'll talk to her," she told Mary. Penny strode over to the beige armchair and sat. "Amy, sweetie, you really need to eat something. The doctor sent us home so we could eat and rest while they monitored Sheldon for a while. You haven't eaten much in the past two days."

"Penny, I really just don't…"

"_Please_ eat something," Penny interrupted. Amy just looked at her with sad eyes. "Please? For me? For your bestie?"

"Fine," Amy said reluctantly. "But only a little bit, okay?"

"Sure." Penny grabbed her friend a small plate of food and brought it to her. Everyone joined them around the coffee table and ate. As they were finishing up their meals, the phone rang. Leonard answered it in a flash.

"Hello?...Yes this is Dr. Hofstadter…okay…yeah…alright, we'll be right there…yeah, goodbye." He hung up the phone. "That was the hospital. They need us there right away."

"Why? Is something wrong with Sheldon?" Bernadette asked

"They didn't say if anything was wrong or not. They just said to get down there as soon as possible," Leonard said as he scrambled to get everyone going.

"Alright. Hurry up everyone," Mary commanded. Everyone quickly rose to their feet and headed out the door.

Once they got to the hospital they make their way to the waiting area where they had been a few days before. There they waited until the doctor found them and sat down to talk with them.

"After monitoring Dr. Cooper for a few days we've decided that it's time for a crucial decision to be made. You see, his condition has improved but only a little. It wasn't significant enough for us to be able to take him off of life support. There's only a slim chance that he'll wake up. So, with that being said, we need you to make this decision."

Everyone looked around at each other. Finally, Mary stood up and said "being his mother I think I should make this decision. And I believe that it's time to see how strong he is."

"Are you _absolutely_ sure?" the doctor asked.

"I'm sure. But can we all say goodbye first? You know, just in case."

"Sure. Right this way." The doctor motioned for everyone to follow him. They all walked down the hallway with knots in their stomachs. Then they reached Sheldon's room. "He's right in here."

When they piled into the room the only thing they could focus on was Sheldon. They all noticed how still he was and how hurt he looked. Mary immediately walked over to him and gently grabbed her son's hand. "Oh, Shelly," she whimpered. "My baby…my sweet, darling child. You have made me the proudest mother in the entire world. I never did tell you or your siblings, but you were always my favorite." She smiled a little bit and choked back tears. "You be strong now. I love you, baby." She kissed him softly on the cheek. She let the tears roll down her cheeks as she let go of his hand and slowly backed away. The rest of the group said their goodbyes, tears in their eyes and quivers in their voices.

As they all turned to leave, Amy stopped and said "you guys go ahead. I'd like a moment alone with Sheldon." When everyone left the room, Amy walked over to his bedside and grabbed his hand. "Just so you know, Sheldon, this is technically a medical issue that required some needles and sharp objects. So, in reality, I'm not violating any part of the Relationship Agreement." She smiled ever so slightly. Then she sighed and continued. "Look at you - so motionless, so helpless. I hate this. I hate myself for running away like a coward. The guilt has been killing me. My night terrors were so bad last night and the night before that I found myself clawing at my own skin. I can't eat. I can't enjoy a night of peaceful sleep. You just can't leave me. The guilt will eat me alive. Please come back to me. I need you. Sheldon…I love you, just like you love me. Please, Sheldon. Don't leave. _Please_." She had a death grip on his hand as she spoke. A few tears trickled down her face. She looked at him longingly and took a deep breath. Then she relaxed and calmly started to sing. "Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr." She kissed him tenderly on the forehead. Then she turned and headed for the door. She stood in the doorway to get one last long look at him. Finally, she turned around and gently pulled the door shut. With her heart torn in two and more tears down her face, she sulked back to the waiting room. She plopped into an empty chair next to Penny when she reached her friends.

The doctor stepped into the doorway and looked at Sheldon's mother. She looked back at him, breathed deeply, and then nodded slowly at him. The doctor turned and disappeared behind the doors. And then there was complete silence. Everything in the room was still. Penny rested her head on Leonard's shoulder and their fingers were intertwined. Raj sat with his elbows on his knees resting his chin on his hands. Howard had his arm around Bernadette. Mary sat with her head bowed and her hands folded. Amy placed her hands on her knees and stared at a spot on the floor. Hours passed and there was no word on Sheldon's condition. All they could do was sit and wait with their hearts and their minds wrenching.

Suddenly, the doctor burst through the doors. He looked troubled and perplexed. "Excuse me," he said from across the room. "Is there a Miss Amy Farrah Fowler here?"

"Yes," Amy said as she stood up.

"Miss Farrah Fowler, I need you to come with me."

"Why, what's going on?"

"Please, Miss, you just have to follow me."

Amy hesitantly walked through the double doors, following the doctor through the halls. Then he flung the door to Sheldon's room open and gestured for Amy to step inside. She cautiously walked through the door and into the room where she was immediately greeted by the brilliant blue eyes that she loved so dearly.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry for such a delayed update. Fair warning: this isn't my best chapter. But I think it serves its purpose.

...

"Hi, Amy," Sheldon said weakly. A smile swept across his face.

Amy was stunned. She stared at Sheldon as if he weren't real. _This has to be a dream_, Amy thought. But it wasn't a dream. There he was, as alive as he could possibly be. "Oh my god, Sheldon, you're okay!" She desperately wanted to run over to him and give him a hug but she resisted and, instead, ran over and knelt down beside his bed. Amy's voice shook as she asked Sheldon, "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I've been pummeled by slabs of concrete."

"Would you like me to call a nurse for some painkillers?"

"They told me they'd bring me some later." Sheldon winced in pain.

Amy bit her lip. She could tell just how much he hurt and it bothered her. "Sheldon, if you don't mind me asking – why did the doctor bring _me_ here and not anyone else?"

"I requested to see you. I wanted to see a comforting face." Again, he winced, and even more so than he did before. "Actually, I have a question…um; do you know why I'm here?"

Amy looked at him in confusion. "You don't remember?"

"I don't remember much of anything that has happened recently, to be honest."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Well, the last big event I can recall is Howard and Bernadette's wedding."

Amy's eyes widened. "Sheldon, that was months ago. "

"I know, I know. Let's just be thankful that it's only a few months that I'm forgetting."

"Perhaps it's your eidetic memory that allowed for your long-term memory to be in-tact."

"Perhaps. It's a reasonable explanation."

Amy noticed Sheldon wince yet again so she decided to speed the conversation along. "So…do you want every detail of what happened or just the highlights?"

Sheldon groaned. Something pained him. Amy remembered the gash she saw in his shoulder on the night he was attacked and figured it was that particular wound that was causing him so much pain. Sheldon said through gritted teeth, "A brief summary should suffice right now. "

"Alright." Amy took in a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "We were on a date. We were walking to the comic book store from the Cheesecake Factory when this guy came out of the alley and threatened us. You guarded me and told the man off but he didn't go away. Then his goons came out and surrounded us."

"Wait, so, how are you not injured?"

"I was getting to that point." Amy took in another deep breath. "Anyways, you had your arms around me, still trying to get the men to leave. All of a sudden, you told me that you loved me and that I had to run away. Then you pushed me to the side and I ran, just like you said. I ran all the way to the comic book store and found Leonard, Howard and Raj. Then we went back to find you and you were on the ground, unconscious and bleeding. Everything in my mind is kind of a blur past that."

Sheldon looked at Amy with confusion on his face. After a moment he finally blurted out, "I told you that I loved you? Really? That's impossible. I would never do that."

"Wait – what?" Amy was now confused as well. "That's all you have to say about the story?

"Amy, there's no way I expressed any sentiments of love."

"Yes you did, Sheldon. I heard you loud and clear."

The blank look on Sheldon's face made it evident that he was trying to remember him saying such things. Then he quickly turned to Amy and said "I still don't remember saying it but if I did, then…I take it back."

Amy was almost in tears. "Wha – you take it back?"

"I didn't mean what I said. I was probably just…I don't know…in the moment."

"So, you _don't_ love me?" Amy asked with a catch in her voice.

Sheldon groaned again. "Amy, I apologize but I need a nurse now. Will you get one for me?" Amy stared at Sheldon with sad eyes. Then she reluctantly rose to her feet and headed for the door. Before she left, Sheldon stopped her and said "I'm glad you didn't get hurt." Amy gave him a half-hearted smile before leaving the room. When the door was closed, Amy began to cry. _He doesn't love me. He doesn't love me…_

_..._

See? My intention was to bring Sheldon back into character a little bit. And I'm trying to set up some future chapters. Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter. There's definitely more to come :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, here is the next chapter! Sorry it took so long. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Sheldon, dinner's here!" Leonard called. There was no response. "Sheldon!" he called again, and this time, a little louder.<p>

"In a minute Leonard, I'm busy!"

"Well, hurry up before Raj eats your share of the pizza!" Leonard then grabbed a slice and flopped into the armchair.

"How has Sheldon been doing?" Bernadette asked in her perky little voice.

"He's been doing pretty well, actually. Being home has helped spark some aspects of his memory. He's had a lot to catch up on though. Work has been stressful for him. People keep asking him 'Didn't you already research that?' 'Why are you trying to solve something you've already solved?' It's been frustrating for him but I think he's doing his best to deal with the situation."

"Is he still the crazed whack-a-doodle that we all know and can't stand?" Howard asked.

"Yes, Howard."

"Damn."

"I hope you ordered the right kind of pizza this time," Sheldon said as he walked out of his room made his way to his spot. "Your attempt last week to ruin my pizza was enough."

"Jeez, Sheldon, what were you doing in there?" Leonard asked skeptically.

"Just catching up with the Flash and his latest antics," Sheldon said with a smirk.

"You've read all of those, like, ten times already."

"Really? Well, I didn't remember anything about the five latest issues." Sheldon took a bite of his pizza. He stopped mid-chew, swallowed, and then gave Leonard a look of derision. "You ordered onions on this, didn t you?"

"Raj made me do it!" Leonard accused. Raj threw his hands in the air and looked at Leonard in confusion.

Suddenly there was a light knocking on the door. Penny glided into the apartment with Amy following her in. "Hey, guys!"

"Hey, honey," Leonard replied. "The pizza just got here."

"We know. We heard you yelling at Sheldon," Amy informed.

"And getting yelled at is EXACTLY what he deserves right now," Penny said as she glared at Sheldon.

Sheldon looked at Penny in a confused manner. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know, Sheldon. You tell me." Penny meandered into the kitchen to grab something to drink. Sheldon stood up and followed her.

"Penny, are you mad at me about something?"

"You think?" Penny barked.

"Why? I did nothing wrong."

"Oh really? You haven't noticed that Amy has been avoiding you?"

"No, I haven't."

"My god, Sheldon, you can be so oblivious. Just think about it for a second."

Sheldon thought for a moment. "You're right, Penny. She _has_ been avoiding me." He sounded suprised.

"Yeah. And, not only has she been avoiding you, she's been avoiding the rest of us too. Thankfully I got a hold of her this morning. I convinced her to come over and tell me what has been upsetting her."

Sheldon's face went from confused to concerned. "She's upset? Why?"

"Hmm, well, it could be the fact that you told Amy that you loved her and then you took it back."

Sheldon shifted his eyes towards the ground. "Is that why she cried when she left my hospital room?"

"You heard her crying and you didn't do anything about it?" Penny was fuming.

"Well, I wasn't sure if it was my mind playing tricks on me or if she really was crying. And you know I don't deal with weepy very well."

"Sheldon, you're going to have to fix this problem."

"How do I do that?"

"You should figure it out for yourself," Penny snapped. "And, just so you know, I don't think a tiara is going to cut it this time." She stormed out of the kitchen, leaving Sheldon standing there with nothing but confusion.

"Howard," Sheldon said suddenly. "You're in Amy's spot."

Howard looked up at Sheldon, dumbfounded. "Amy doesn't have a spot."

"Yes, she does and you're sitting in it. Isn't it customary that the spot next to that of the boyfriend becomes the spot of the girlfriend so that they may sit by one another?"

"He has a point, Howard," Bernadette said sweetly. Howard, with a sigh and a rolling of the eyes, stood up and sat on the arm of the couch next to his wife.

"Have a seat, Amy," Sheldon said as he sat in his spot. He patted the seat next to him, beckoning her to sit by him.

Amy looked at Penny, who nodded slightly. Amy hesitantly walked over to the couch and sat in between Bernadette and Sheldon.

"Alright, time to watch Star Wars," Leonard said, standing up. He walked over to the television and searched for his DVDs.

"Ugh, really Leonard?" Penny complained.

"It's for Sheldon. He only remembers parts of the movies so he wants to watch them all again."

"Sheldon forgetting Star Wars? Yikes. That must have been some concussion you had, huh?" Howard chimed in.

Sheldon looked at Howard and sighed. "Just put the DVD in the machine, Leonard."

Leonard did as Sheldon said and then went back to sit in the armchair. Penny sat on his lap and put an arm around his shoulders. Bernadette scooched over towards Amy and let Howard sit in the seat with her. They snuggled up together. Raj curled up into a ball in the chair that Penny had brought over from her apartment. Sheldon and Amy each sat with their hands on their knees. When everyone was situated, Leonard hit play.

As the movie played, Sheldon looked around at the other couples and then at Amy. He thought for a few moments. His mind was a whirlwind of questions. Before he knew what he was doing, Sheldon took his arm and slid it behind Amy's neck, resting it on her shoulders. He noticed Amy look at him. She had an eyebrow raised. Sheldon looked at her and then turned back to look at the television. Then, Sheldon carefully pulled Amy in towards him. When she was leaning against his chest, he glanced down at her. She looked back at him, confused and slightly frightened. Amy, who had no idea why he was doing this, carefully slid her arms around his torso. When she did so, she swore she saw a small smile appear on his face. He wrapped his other arm around her as she lifted her feet onto the couch. And there they sat, just like the other couples. To each of them, it felt weird but at the same time it felt right.

Penny suddenly stood up. "I'll be right back," she whispered to Leonard.

"Where are you going?" Leonard asked.

"To the bathroom. I'll just be a min-" She stopped. She was the first one to notice Sheldon and Amy cuddled together on the couch. "What the hell?"

Amy just smiled at her bestie and then rested her head on Sheldon's chest. He leaned his head against hers.

"That's so sweet," Amy heard Bernadette whisper to Howard. That's when she realized everyone was looking at them. Expecting Sheldon to snap back to reality and push her off of him, Amy started to pull away. But Sheldon just held her tighter.

"I don't know why you are all looking this way," Sheldon said. He pointed to the t.v. "The television is over there." The group slowly turned their heads back towards the t.v. to watch the rest of the movie.

...

When the movie was finished, Bernadette stood up and stretched. "I'm exhaused. I think I want to go home and go to bed."

"Yeah, I think I should go too," Penny said. "I've been scheduled to work an early shift tomorrow at work."

"Aww, I was hoping we could spend some time alone tonight," Leonard replied.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. Tomorrow night, I promise." Penny gave Leonard a quick kiss before she headed across the hall.

"Well, see you all later. We had a nice time tonight," Howard said as he and Bernadette stepped into the hallway. Raj nodded a good bye at Amy and Sheldon and then followed Howard and Bernadette.

"I think that's my cue to leave as well," Amy said. She reluctantly pulled away from Sheldon and stood up.

"You can stay a little while longer if you want," Sheldon said sweetly.

"Thanks for the offer but I should probably get going. I have a lot of work to get done tomorrow so I need to start bright and early."

Sheldon frowned. "Oh, okay. Well, good night."

"Good night, Sheldon," Amy replied. She headed for the door.

"Amy, wait!" Sheldon said suddenly.

"What?" She was slightly startled. Sheldon hurried over to her. He gently grabbed her by her hands and held them as the looked into her eyes. Amy was taken aback. She was suprised that his normally tense and focused eyes were now gentle and calm. He looked at her with sincere care. Amy's face was frozen in a state of confusion. She and Sheldon looked at each other for several moments before he closed his eyes, leaned in towards her, and carefully pressed his lips to hers.

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><p><strong>Hope you all liked this chapter. Don't forget to review! And please, check out my other fan fiction called "The Break Up Effect." I would definitely love some reviews for that story as well.<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**So, I decided to do a couple of fluff chapters based on the reactions and thought of both Amy and Sheldon. Here's hoping you like this chapter.**

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><p>AMY'S POV:<p>

"Hoo!" Amy exclaimed after the kiss had been broken. She stared at Sheldon, who had the same dazed look on his face that she had. _What in the world just happened_? Amy thought to herself.

"Goodnight, Amy," Sheldon said after an awkward silence.

Amy was at a loss for words. _Goodnight, Sheldon...See you later...Have a nice night_...she thought to say to Sheldon. _Okay, just pick one. _"Uh huh," she managed to squeak out. _Really Amy?_ she scolded herself. _Sheldon just kissed you and this is the best you come up with?_ She turned and left the apartment. She slowly walked down the stairs until she heard Sheldon's door snap shut. Then she raced back up and tiptoed to Penny's door. She knocked on the door loud enough for Penny to hear but quiet enough so Sheldon's vulcan hearing would not pick up the sound.

"Oh, hey Amy. What's up?" Penny said when she answered the door.

"Sheldon kissed me," she said frantically.

Penny stared at her friend for brief moment before saying "Come on in." She gestered for Amy to enter the apartment and closed the door behind her after Amy did so. "Okay, now...what?"

"Sheldon kissed me," Amy said again, this time slower so Penny could let it sink in.

"Wait..._Sheldon _kissed _you_? Are you sure that wasn't the other way around?"

Amy glared at Penny. "Of course, I'm sure. Would I have come to you if I had initiated the kiss?"

"Point made. So, why'd he kiss you_?"_

"I don't know. I was hoping that _you_ would know. Or at least have an idea."

"Hmm," Penny thought. "Well, it could have something to do with..." She trailed off.

"What?" Amy asked desperately.

"Well, I told him you were mad at him and that he had to fix things. That's probably why he cuddled with you."

"So you told him to cuddle with me?" She sighed. "I knew he wouldn't do it of his own free will."

"Well, actually, I never told him to do that _specifically_. I thought he would just give you more Cooper Coupons or whatever they're called."

"Okay, so he sort of cuddled with me on his own accord. But what was with that kiss?"

"Maybe he was just in the moment, I don't know. I don't attempt to understand what goes on in that crazy head of his."

"Huh." Amy was defeated. "I don't understand. Why would he suddenly change? Could it be that, because of the accident, the aspect of his brain that would normally tell him to avoid unnecessary physical contact with people is suddenly telling him that it's okay to act like anyone else would?"

Penny had the 'I-have-no-clue-what-you-just-said' look on her face. "Uh, yeah, sure. Let's go with that?"

"But what if it was just an act to please you? What if he admits that he only threw his arms around me so you woudn't nag him about making me happy." She frowned. "I have the feeling that theory number two is the more plausable theory."

"Amy, I'm sure he wasn't faking it. I think he really meant what he did."

"I think you're just saying that to make me feel better. Really, there's no need."

Penny looked slighty frustrated. "Ugh, don't be so stubborn. I saw the way he looked at you when he had you in his arms. Somewhere beneath his robot exterior, there is a really sweet guy who has legitimate feelings for you. I just know it."

"But how can I be sure?"

"Have you ever thought of talking to your boyfriend? I know you're new at being in a relationship but sometimes you just have to step up and force him to talk to you."

Amy looked at Penny with curious eyes. "Do you know the secret to getting him to open up?"

"No. But that's something you'll just have to figure out. Once you do, your relationship will only get better. I can promise you that much."

Amy smiled. "Thank you, Penny. You always have the best advice."

"No problem. I'm always willing to help out my bestie." She gave Amy a little wink.

"I should probably go home now. Goodnight, Penny."

"Goodnight, Amy. And good luck with Sheldon."

Amy zipped out the door and trodded down the stairs. _I think I'll conduct a little experiment before I talk to him,_ she thought._ If Sheldon_ _HAS__ turned to his baser instincts, __then he won't be able to resist a dolled-up Amy Farrah Fowler. I'll need to enlist in the help of Penny and Bernadette. _She grabbed her phone and began tapping away at the keys.


	9. Chapter 9

**Alright, this is, once again, fluff. This chapter was really just to help Sheldon's side of the story in the next chapter, which will definitely be a better chapter than this one :P**

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><p>SHELDON'S POV:<p>

Sheldon took a step back after he broke off the kiss. He heard a quiet 'hoo' escape from Amy's lips. His heart was pounding and his breathing had increased. _Come on, Cooper. Don't tell me you actually enjoyed that_, he thought to himself. He looked at Amy who was just staring back at him in utter confusion. _She isn't saying anything_. He began to panic. _Just say something. Anything_.

"Goodnight, Amy," he finally said. _Oh yes. Way to woo the lady_. He mentally rolled his eyes.

"Uh huh." She sounded stunned. Sheldon watched as she turned and slowly left the apartment. He carefully closed the door and then stood there for the longest time. "Leonard!" he finally hollered.

"What is it, Sheldon?" Leonard asked as he trudged out of his room. He was clearly frustrated.

"I kissed Amy," Sheldon informed.

Leonard was taken aback. "Woah, you...you kissed her? Really?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Can't a man kiss his girlfriend without being questioned?"

"Did you want me to help you with something or did you just want to tell me this?"

"Leonard, if I just wanted to tell you this I assure you I wouldn't have bothered to call you in here."

"Okay, well, what do you want?"

Sheldon noted Leonards snippy tone so he figured he should make it brief. "Amy's reaction wasn't anything like it should have been."

"Well, what did she say?"

"Hoo."

"Amy," Leonard said.

"What about Amy?"

"I asked you what she said after you kissed her. And you said 'hoo'."

"Yes, hoo."

"Hoo?"

"Amy." Sheldon said. "Are you even listening to me?" _Good grief. We'll never get through this conversation._

Leonard's face was a mix of frustration and confusion. "I'm not sure we're on the same page here."

Sheldon sighed. "Amy said 'hoo' after I kissed her. And when I said 'goodnight,' she just replied with 'uh huh' and then left."

"And...your point is...?"

"Why do you think she did that?"

"Well, considering that it's you and you've always been opposed to cuddling and kissing and general physical contact, I'm sure that she was just surprised."

"Hmm...it makes sense."

"Yeah. Although, there is ONE thing that doesn't make sense."

"What's that, Leonard?"

"Why were you cuddling with Amy in the first place?"

"Penny told me that I should try to cheer Amy up because she was upset."

"Wait wait wait..._Penny_ told you what to do? Well, that explains a lot."

Leonard started to walk back to his room when Sheldon said "Penny never told me to do that specifically."

"So...you _did_ decide to cuddle with her on your own? What inclined you to act like a REAL boyfriend?"

"Well, because..." he paused. Sheldon's eyes filled with both wonder an confusion. "Hmm, that's peculiar."

"What, Sheldon?"

"Well, I don't really know why I did that."

"Interesting," Leonard responded. "Do you have any reasoning as to why your mind decided to do its own thing?"

"Hmm, I think I do have a theory..." He turned away from Leonard and walked to his room, leaving behind a very confused and uncomfortable Leonard. Sheldon closed his door and then sat on the edge of his bed. _Maybe Mom was right_, he thought. He sat for another mintute or two before he pulled out his phone and sent Amy a message. After hitting the send button, his mind was left to think. _Let's hope this works._


	10. Chapter 10

**I don't have much to say about this chapter. We are nearing the end of the story. Enjoy!**

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><p>"<em>We could walk to the comic book store…"<em>

"_Stop right there, you two!"_

"_Sheldon!"_

"_It'll be okay, Amy. I promise."_

_I have to save her. I have to save Amy. _

"_Run!" _

_Please, Amy, be safe. Find Leonard. He'll help you._

"_You asshole! You two, go after the girl!" _

"_Stay away from her!" _

"_Get off of me!"_

"_Throw him to the ground!"_

"_With pleasure."_

_Oh, god, that hurt! Amy, please be okay. Please! "AAARGH!" The knife…there's so much blood…_

"_Shit, the cops!"_

"_Lay there and die you son of a bitch."_

_Sheldon! Sheldon, wake up! _SHELDON!

With a scream, Sheldon sat up quickly in his bed. He sat there breathing heavily.

"Sheldon, what the hell happened? Are you okay?" Leonard was standing next to Sheldon's bed.

"I'm fine." He paused for a few deep breaths. "It was just a dream."

"It seemed more like a nightmare," Leonard informed. He could see the panic and fright on Sheldon's face. "You were screaming in your sleep."

"Really, Leonard, I'm fine."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Sheldon looked at Leonard and then down at his shaking hands. "Leonard, do you know anything about what happened the night I was attacked?"

"No. Is that was this is about?"

"I think so. In my dream, there were men hitting me and throwing me around. One of them stabbed me in the left shoulder." Sheldon paused for a moment. "That's where I was stabbed in real life." He became silent.

"Sheldon, are you okay?"

"I'd like to be left alone now," Sheldon whimpered.

"Alright," Leonard said reluctantly. "Goodnight, Sheldon."

…

"Sheldon, are you going to get ready?" Sheldon, staring blankly at the television, gave him a zombie-like grunt. "Sheldon, Amy and Penny are going to be here soon." Again, Sheldon gave him a grunt. "Sheldon, the double-date was your idea. Penny said that Amy was very excited for this. You have to get ready." Leonard nagged. `

Sheldon slowly turned his head to look at Leonard. "I don't feel like going anywhere."

"Sheldon, are you still upset about your dream?"

"I'm just confused." Sheldon went back to staring at the television.

There was a knock on the door. "See, they're here." Leonard went and answered the door. "Hi, Penny!"

"Hey, sweetie!" She gave him a kiss. "Wait until you see Amy. She looks _amazing_!"

"Where is she?"

"Amy, get in here!" Penny chirped.

Amy slowly rounded the corner and entered the apartment. Leonard's eyes widened when he saw her wearing a plum knee-length dress. It had a shallow v-style neckline and it gently hugged her waist. Amy's hair was in loose curls that framed her face. Her eyes were sparkling underneath her shimmery purple eye shadow, long eyelashes, and brand new contact lenses. Her lips were painted a soft pink color. To finish off the look, she stood tall in a pair of silver sky-high heels and she carried a small, silver clutch. Amy smiled. "Hey."

"Wow, Amy, you look beautiful!" Leonard quickly looked over at Penny, who just grinned. "Well, not as beautiful as Penny of course," he said nervously.

Penny laughed. "It's okay, Leonard. I totally agree that she looks beautiful."

"Thanks, Penny. And thank you, Leonard." Amy beamed.

Penny smiled. "So, Sheldon, what do you think?" The smile on her face started to disappear when she noticed that Sheldon was staring at the television. "Sheldon? Sheldon!"

He turned his head for a moment to acknowledge the presence of Amy and Penny. He nodded slightly and then resumed looking at the television.

Penny now had a disgusted look on her face. She noticed Amy, who was no longer glowing with excitement. She was staring at the floor and gently biting her lip.

"So…um…are we ready to go?" Leonard asked amidst the awkward silence.

"No. No, we're not," Penny fumed. She marched over to Sheldon. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What?" Sheldon asked in a daze.

"Really? You don't know why I'm pissed at you?" Sheldon didn't respond. He kept his eyes directed at the glowing picture in front of him. "Dammit, Sheldon. Look at Amy. She did this for _you!_ She was so excited to show you her new look and what are you doing? You're ignoring her so you can watch Star Trek for the millionth time! Just when I thought you couldn't reach a new low, you proved me wrong. I hope you're freaking happy, asshole."

Sheldon continued to stare until he suddenly stood up and stormed to his bedroom. He slammed the door shut.

"Is he okay, Leonard?" Amy asked.

"Well, no, he isn't," Leonard admitted.

"What, did you make him French toast on oatmeal day or something?" Penny snapped.

Leonard gave Penny a stern look. "In the middle of the night, he started screaming in his sleep. When he woke up, he said that he was having nightmares about the night he was attacked. He's been like this all day."

Penny turned her face away in shame. "Oh my god, I had no idea…I feel horrible now." She looked back up at Leonard. "Should I go apologize?"

"You can later," Amy chimed in. "I'd like to talk to him first." She glided across the room and knocked on Sheldon's door. "May I come in?"

"It's open."

Amy walked in and found Sheldon curled up into a ball on his bed. "Are you okay?"

There was a brief silence. "My dream…it was a memory…and it frightened me."

"But, Sheldon, it was just in your head. It wasn't real -"

"No, Amy. It _was_ real…" He sat up, pulled off his Flash t-shirt and then did the same with his undershirt. He pointed to the scar on his left shoulder. "If this isn't proof that it was real, I don't know what is."

Amy stared, not at his wound, but at his eyes. She could see the hurt and pain in his icy blue eyes. "Sheldon…" she said quietly.

"What hurts me the most is that this could have happened to _you_. If anything had happened to you…" He sighed heavily and ran his hand through is hair in frustration.

Amy sat on the edge of his bed. "Sheldon…I need to say something."

He looked at her with a cold expression. "What?"

"This whole thing…it's my fault."

"I don't understand."

"_I_ suggested that we walk to the comic book store to meet Leonard after dinner that night. _I'm_ the one who ran away like a frightened child. _My_ decision put you in danger. You never should have gotten hurt. It should have been _me_ instead. It should have been me…" She broke into tears.

Sheldon was at a loss for words. "Amy…don't cry…" His words were less than comforting. If anything, they made her cry harder. He began to panic, wondering how he could make her stop crying. Then he remembered something that Leonard did when Penny was upset a few days ago. Sheldon joined Amy at the edge of the bed and then carefully wrapped her in his arms. Amy buried her face into his bare chest. Her crying began to subside. "Amy, this isn't your fault," Sheldon whispered. "This isn't my fault either. It's those men who decided to attack us. It's _their_ fault. You should believe _that_ and only that. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Amy sniffled.

Sheldon tilted her chin up so she would meet his gaze. He wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumb. "You'll need to redo your makeup before we go out," he said softly, a small grin on his face.

Amy giggled lightly. "Okay," she replied with a smile.

And with that, Sheldon leaned forward and kissed Amy. He kissed her with great passion, causing Amy to melt into his arms. When the kiss was broken, Sheldon said "You have ten minutes. Go get yourself ready."

Amy gazed into his eyes. "I love you, Sheldon."


	11. Chapter 11

**Finally, another update! I've been so busy with school and whatnot but I'm finally done with that so I had time to write out a new chapter! As of now, there's only two (maybe three) chapters until the end. Hang in there. I'll finish it someday :)**

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><p>"You guys are going to love this place!" Penny said to Sheldon and Amy. The two couples were on their way to a fancy Italian restaurant. "Leonard and I go to this place all of the time."<p>

"Just because it is appealing to you and Leonard does not mean that Amy and I will have the same feelings towards it," Sheldon replied haughtily.

"Sheldon, I'm sure it will be fine," Amy snapped. It was the first thing she had said during the car ride.

"Woah, Amy, you okay?" Penny asked.

"Fine," Amy said unconvincingly.

"Okay, here we are," Leonard stated as he pulled into a parking spot. Everyone simultaneously unbuckled their seat belts and then climbed out of the car. They walked into the restaurant where they were greeted by the hostess. She accepted Leonard's reservation and led them to a table. When they were seated, they opened their menus straight to the drinks section.

"Hello," said a voice. "My name is Emily and I'm going to be your waitress tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?"

Penny looked up from her menu and smiled. "Hi. I think I'm going to have a glass of red wine."

"Make that two," Leonard spoke up.

"I'll have a glass of blackberry Merlot," Amy said flatly.

Sheldon looked around at his companions. "I'll just have lemonade." He saw Amy roll her eyes.

"Okay, I'll be right back with your drinks." The waitress smiled and headed towards the kitchen.

"Ooh, everything sounds so good," Penny cooed. "What are you going to have, Leonard?"

"I don't know, whatever you're having I guess," Leonard said.

"Ugh," Sheldon groaned."Where are the cheeseburgers on this menu?"

"There aren't any cheeseburgers, Sheldon," Amy barked. "Just order something else for once."

"Really Amy, are you okay?" Leonard inquired.

"I'm fine," Amy lied again. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to use the restroom." She stormed away from the table.

"I'll go with you," Penny said as she stood up. She followed Amy and stopped her before she opened the door. "Amy, seriously, what's up?"

"Nothing is up, Penny. Really, I'm fine."

"Then what's with the attitude? Earlier you were practically jumping off the walls you were so happy. What happened?"

Amy sighed. "It's a long story."

"Then give me the short version."

"Fine," Amy said reluctantly. "I was trying to cheer Sheldon up after he ran into his room. After we had been talking for a while, he kissed me. I found it to be the perfect time to tell him that I loved him."

"Aww," Penny chimed. "What did he say when you told him?"

"He didn't say anything at first," Amy said angrily. "He merely stared at me for several seconds and then told me to go get ready. Might I add that he sounded panicky when he did so."

"Wow," Penny said in disbelief. "What an ass."

"Why won't Sheldon be more like a real boyfriend?"

"Isn't it obvious? He's Sheldon. Even the accident didn't change him."

Amy shifted her eyes towards the ground. She was silent for a moment before she asked "Do you think he'll ever want to move further into the relationship?"

"It's hard to say Ames, considering the fact that he kissed you. But I honestly don't think it will go much further. You two have been together for such a long time and have been through so much, yet he refuses to move forward."

A small tear ran down Amy's cheek. She quickly brushed it away and then turned to Penny. "I really don't have a choice anymore. Penny, please, stay here. I need to have a talk with Sheldon."

…...

While Penny and Amy were away, Leonard and Sheldon had a talk of their own. Sheldon was staring off into space again, leaving Leonard to wonder why he was acting out of the ordinary.

"Are you sure you're okay, buddy?" Leonard asked

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

Sheldon let out a deep sigh. "There's just been so much going on. It's hard for me, oddly enough, to keep it all straight."

"Is this about your nightmare from last night?"

"A part of it stems from that, yes."

"Would you care to tell me what has you so worried?"

"Good grief, Leonard, why so many questions?" Sheldon snapped. "Of course, it is like you to be a nosy little man."

Leonard rolled his eyes slightly. "I apologize."

"I know you're not being sincere but, seeing as how I no longer wish to remain on this topic, I accept your apology," Sheldon replied. He took a sip of his water. "What's taking those girls so long?"

"I don't know."

"Well they'd better hurry up."

"Why?"

"Again with the questions?" Sheldon sighed. "Fine. I guess since you will not let the subject go, I'll tell you."

"Good," Leonard said.

"I didn't really know a good way to go about the whole thing but, based on the events of last night and earlier this evening, I feel like I should just go through with it. I've been thinking about it for some time and I have decided…"

"Leonard," Amy interrupted. "Penny needs you."

Leonard looked flustered. "Wait, like, _in_ the ladies room?"

"Of course not. She's in that general vicinity, though. You'll find her." After Leonard left, Amy sat down. "Sheldon, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Oh, I have to talk to you about something as well. You can go first, though."

Amy took a deep breath and exhaled with frustration. "Sheldon, when I met you I thought we would be good together. We both wanted the same thing – a relationship of the mind. It was great at first, but by hanging out with Penny so much I realized that romantic relationships are in need of physical intimacy. Not necessarily coitus, but things like hand holding and hugging. Your phobia of being touched does not allow for that kind of intimacy."

"I can look past that, Amy. I'm willing to change -"

"No, Sheldon, you're not. You kissed me earlier and then when I said that I loved you, you had a mini freak out. It's like you took a step forward and then two steps back. You're always going to be you no matter what happens. I don't know if I can handle that anymore."

"Amy, listen to me," Sheldon pleaded. "If you give me a chance I can prove to you -"

"Sheldon, I've given you enough chances. I do not feel as if I am being treated fairly. So, I believe that on those terms I am able to call for an immediate termination of the relationship."

"What?" Sheldon was surprised.

"Our relationship is over. Goodbye, Sheldon." Amy stood up and dashed out of the restaurant.

Sheldon sat there staring at the place where Amy had just been. His eyes were dull and lifeless. Tears formed behind his eyes but he managed to hold them back as he pulled a small black box out of his pocket. He opened it up and stared at the object inside.

"Sheldon? What's wrong?" Leonard asked when he and Penny rejoined him at the table.

"Amy...terminated our relationship." He sounded confused.

"I'm so sorry. Is there anything we can do to make you feel better?"

"No," Sheldon said, still staring at the box.

"What's that?" Penny asked, pointing to the item in Sheldon's hand.

"It's nothing," Sheldon replied. He snapped the box back shut and slipped it into his pocket. "Just a failed attempt at happiness."

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><p><strong>Hope you liked it. Don't forget to leave a review!<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Here is just a short filler chapter. It was supposed to be longer but I decided to break off the second half and turn it into a different chapter (which will be the next one after I tweak it a little bit). Enjoy!**_  
><em>

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><p><em>Knock, knock, knock.<em>

"Who is it?"

"It's Penny."

"What do you want?"

"I want to make sure you're okay, Amy."

"Alright." Amy reluctantly opened the door. "Come in."

Penny entered and made her way to the couch. She set the purse she was carrying on the floor. "Come sit by me and let's talk."

"I'm fine, Penny."

"How many times are you going to say that tonight and not really mean it?"

"Really, I'm -" Amy tried to protest.

"You're not fine, Amy. Your eyes clearly tell me that you've been crying."

Amy stared at a spot on the floor. "Penny," she said quietly, "do you think I made the right decision?"

Penny stumbled on her words. "Oh, um...maybe. I'm not really sure..."

"It _seemed_ like the right thing to do at the time. Now I feel like I made a huge mistake."

"Why's that?"

"Growing up, I never thought I would ever have a legitimate boyfriend. It was always something I wanted."

"Wait, wait, wait. When I met you, you didn't believe in relationships or anything like that."

"Right. I wasn't lying about that at the time. But when I was in high school, I wanted to get married and live the life that any normal girl should. When I realized that was never going to happen, I decided that relationships were hokum."

"That is so sad," Penny said somberly.

"Of course, after meeting Sheldon and being with him, my hopes of getting married came back. I guess I just kept holding on to him because I thought he might actually want the same thing."

"So...do you still want to be with him?"

Amy thought for a moment. "I don't know. I really care about him...but it just isn't worth being with a man who will never commit." She buried her face in her hands. "I'm so confused!"

"Aww, Amy, it's okay," Penny said as she flung an arm around Amy's shoulders. "You'll figure out what you want soon enough. I can promise you that."

"Really?" She looked up at Penny.

"Really." Penny smiled. "You know what? We should go out for some drinks. It'll help get your mind off of this mess. What do you say?"

"Hmm...that sounds nice. I'll go freshen up and then we can leave."

"Okay." Penny watched as Amy sauntered to her bedroom. When the door was closed, she pulled her cell phone from her purse and dialed a number. "Hey, it's me...just hang on, I'm looking for it...AHA! Here it is...yeah...I'll just drop it on the floor outside of her apartment and once we're gone you can let yourself in...trust me, she won't notice...ooh, Amy's coming. I have to go." She quickly hung up and stuffed the phone back into her purse.

"Who were you talking to?" Amy asked.

"Myself," Penny lied.

"You talk to yourself?"

"Only when I'm stressed." She thought for a moment before she added, "I'm stressed about you and your 'being upset.' That what that is."

"Oh, okay," Amy replied, confused. "Well, shall we head out?"

"We shall." With a smile, Penny opened the door and followed Amy out the door. When Amy wasn't looking, Penny dropped Amy's spare apartment key on the floor and thought to herself "_This better work._"


	13. Chapter 13

**I don't really have much to say so here's chapter 13. One more to come!**

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><p>"Penny, I still don't understand why you wouldn't give me another drink," Amy said as she stumbled through the hallway of her apartment building. She dug for her keys in her purse.<p>

"Amy, you know you can't handle more than one drink. You're tipsy enough as it is," Penny said, following Amy through the hall.

"Well, I think I could have handled one more." She fumbled with the now found keys in her hand.

"I think it's time you go inside and relax. You've had a long day.."

Amy sighed. "Yeah, you're right. See you later, bestie."

"Bye, Amy." Penny waved and then disappeared around the corner.

"No amount of alcohol or rest will get me through this," Amy said to herself. She shoved her key in the lock and opened her apartment door. She stared at the floor as she stepped inside, closed the door, and threw her purse in a nearby chair. When she looked up, she let out a soft gasp.

Her living room was abundant with red and white roses. Dim Christmas lights were hanging on her walls for both decoration and mood lighting. Her coffee table was covered in a white cloth with two candles lit in the center. A bottle of sparkling cider sat in a bucket of ice next to a box of assorted chocolates.

And then she saw him. He was standing in the middle of the room wearing a sleek, black suit. He held in one hand a bouquet of roses tied together by a silky, red ribbon. In the other hand was a small black box. He looked at Amy with both nervousness and excitement in his eyes. "Hi, Amy," he finally said.

"Sheldon, what is all of this?" Amy was overwhelmed.

"I don't want to lose you, Amy." Sheldon set the flowers and the box on the table. He swiftly walked up to Amy and wrapped his arms around her. Much to his surprise, she didn't do the same. She was silent, which made him nervous. "Is something wrong?" he asked. He took a step back.

"I'm just...confused."

"About what?"

"About you!" Amy yelled suddenly. It made Sheldon jump. "I don't even know what you want anymore!"

"Amy, please, let me explain-"

"I don't need you to explain anything. I just...I don't want to deal with this right now."

"Amy-"

"Not now, Sheldon. I-"

"Amy Farrah Fowler, listen to me!" Amy went silent. "I love you. I always have and I always will. When I took it back I was just scared, overwhelmed even. And for that, I'm sorry."

"So why the sudden change of heart?" Amy looked at him sternly.

"When I was in the hospital my mother visited me. She said 'Shelley, your Meemaw told me to give you this.' And she handed me a little black box. 'Son,' she said, 'We know you don't believe in doing this kind of thing but it would be wise to make sure you don't lose Amy. She cares a great deal for you and I know you feel the same about her. Think about it.' And I did. I thought about it very long and very hard. I made the decision to go through with this. I was scared at first but something reassured me. So, before we went to dinner, I grabbed the box and put it in my pocket. I meant to do it then but you took off."

"Sheldon?" Amy asked skeptically.

"I have decided to no longer object to you being more than just my girlfriend." Sheldon grabbed the box and stood before Amy. He took a deep breath, stood for another moment or two, and then knelt to the ground. He opened the box to reveal a big, beautiful, sparkling, diamond ring. "Amy Farrah Fowler, will you marry me?"

Amy stared at the ring, mouth agape. She tried to make words come out but she just stood there. Her mind was still processing everything that was happening. "Sheldon...I...um..." Amy began to panic. "I...I can't..."

Sheldon's heart sank. "You can't? You can't what?"

Amy finally composed herself and found the right words to say. "I can't answer you right now. I just...I don't know. I can't tell if you're serious or if this is just another 'bazinga' moment."

"I _am_ being serious. I really do want to marry you."

"Sheldon, please. I need to think about this."

Sheldon stared at Amy with longing eyes. "Okay," he said. His voice sounded weak, almost like he was going to cry. But he didn't. He set the ring on the table and walked out the door. Penny came from behind the corner smiling. But when she saw Sheldon's saddened expression, she frowned. Sheldon stared at a spot on the wall. "Am I not allowed to be happy, Penny?"

"She said 'no'?" Penny sounded surprised.

"She said she had to think about it. But I guess it might as well mean 'no'."

Penny reached out and gently grabbed Sheldon's hand. "Not necessarily," she said. She half smiled at him to help him be reassured. But Sheldon just sighed and pulled his hand out of Penny's grasp. He stuffed a hand into each pocket. "Take me home, Penny," he said as he walked away.

_I guess I should just say goodbye to you now, Amy, _he thought. _I already know you'll reject my proposal._

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><p><strong>I know, aren't I just awful ;) Please, don't forget to leave a review!<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Alright, the time has come...the final installment of the story! Enjoy**

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><p><em>Tie straight, coat buttoned, flower pinned tight. Looking good, Cooper.<em>

"Hey, Sheldon," Leonard said as he walked through the door.

"Hello, Leonard."

"Are you nervous?"

"Why should I be nervous?" Sheldon raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know, a lot of people get nervous beforehand."

"Oh. Well, in answer to your question, no. I am not nervous."

"What's this on the table?" Leonard asked, picking up a large packet of papers.

"That is a document I like to call _The Marriage Agreement._ If you have time, could you give that to Penny? She'll get it to where it needs to be."

"Sure thing. I can do that now if you'd like."

"That would be nice. Thank you." Leonard left the room with the agreement in his hand. _I can't believe today's the day. _Sheldon let out a deep sigh. _ Fascinating._

"Knock, knock!" Howard said as he poked his head in the door.

"Come in," Sheldon commanded.

"Hey, buddy! Are you nervous?"

Sheldon gave Howard an annoyed look. "Why does everyone think I'm nervous?

"Well, we know you don't do well in front of large crowds and there's well over sixty people in the church right now," Howard replied.

Sheldon's eyes widened. "Oh dear..."

"Stay calm, dude," Raj said. He had followed Howard into Sheldon's dressing room. "All you have to do is repeat everything the minister says and you'll be fine."

"You're right, Raj. It'll be okay."

"Didn't you write your own vows?"

Raj and Sheldon both turned to Howard and glared at him. "You're not helping, Howard. Stop talking," Raj snapped.

"Uh oh..." Sheldon whimpered. Suddenly he collapsed to the floor.

"Great. You made him faint. Nice going," Raj scolded.

It took roughly five minutes for Sheldon to wake up. When he did, Raj and Howard were gone. Leonard had just stepped back into the room after fetching his friend a glass of water. "I thought you might want this," Leonard said as he set the glass on a nearby table.

"How long have I been passed out on the floor?" he asked, slowly standing up.

"Just a few minutes. Don't worry, the ceremony will still run as scheduled."

"Alright." Sheldon took a sip of his water. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Leonard called.

"It's Penny."

"Oh, come on in."

Penny swiftly entered the dressing room holding the same stack of papers that Leonard had left with earlier. "Here's your agreement thingy. Every page is signed and ready to go."

"Thank you, Penny," Sheldon said almost insincerely.

"Sheldon," a voice said from the doorway. It was Howard. "It's time."

"Ooh, here we go!" Penny chimed. "Places everyone!" Everyone filed out of the room and into their designated spots. When the music started, Sheldon walked out from behind a door and entered the sanctuary. He did his best to ignore the crowd staring at him as he went and stood by the minister. Once he was in place, the back doors of the church opened.

First in line for the processional was the maid of honor, Penny, escorted by the best man, Leonard. When they reached the front and before they parted, Leonard gave Penny a quick peck on the cheek. Next was Bernadette, who was clutching the arm of Howard. Following them were Raj and Sheldon's sister, Missy. All of the guests smiled as they watched them strut down the isle.

Sheldon, on the other hand, had been ignoring everyone that walked down the isle. He was trying to keep his eyes off of the people looking at him. His attempt to use kolinahr to calm himself down was failing. _Deep breaths, Cooper, deep breaths._ When he noticed that all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen were lined up next to him, his heart and his mind raced. The music changed and all of the guests stood up. Sheldon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a brief moment, he heard Leonard whisper "oh, wow." Sheldon carefully opened his eyes to the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. In that moment, all of his fears disappeared.

There she was, walking down the isle. Amy wore a strapless a-line dress with a beaded sash around her waist. The dress was a crisp white color and the bottom dragged neatly behind her as she walked closer to the altar. A lace veil draped down her back and was hanging from her diamond tiara. She wore a radiant smile all the way down the isle.

Sheldon suddenly found her hand in his as the music stopped playing. He noticed the grin on his face as he listened to the minister speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to day to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony..." Sheldon's mind wandered. He heard bits and pieces of the Bible readings (his mother had requested them) and of the mini-sermon. "The bride and groom will now recite their vows, which they chose to write themselves."

Sheldon snapped back to reality. He turned to Amy."I know our relationship has been a struggle. Before, I never wanted anything to do with marriage or relationships. But the accident made me realize how much I took you for granted. I'll never understand why I was such a fool. I promise to always care for you and to always love you."

"Sheldon," Amy said. "I really want to thank you for letting me into your life. I know it was difficult at first but once you got to know me, it was like you started to become a different person; a better person. I think this relationship has changed both of us in many good ways. I promise to help our relationship grow and for us to grow as people. And yes, I will always love you."

"May I have the rings, please?" The minister asked. He collected the rings from both Leonard and Penny and handed them to Sheldon and Amy. They took turns placing the rings on each others' hands. With smiles on their faces, they turned to the minister and awaited the final words of the ceremony.

"And so," the minister concluded. "By the power vested in me, by God, and by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Without hesitation, Sheldon pulled Amy close to him and planted a firm kiss on her lips. When they broke the kiss, the minister smiled and said "Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you, for the first time, Doctors Sheldon and Amy Cooper." The crowd erupted into applause. As Sheldon and Amy walked hand-in-hand out of the church, they smiled bigger than they ever had before.

After they had greeted their guests and taken pictures with their families, the newlywed couple hopped into a black stretch limo that would take them to their reception just a short distance away.

"Well, Mrs. Cooper, I'd say we had an excellent wedding," Sheldon said as he wrapped an arm around Amy's shoulders.

"I concur," Amy replied, smiling. "And it's _Doctor_ Cooper, thank you very much."

"Yes, of course. I apologize. I'll have to get used to the fact that there's another Dr. Cooper."

"And I'll have to get used to the fact that I _am_ the other Dr. Cooper," Amy giggled. "Dr. Amy Cooper...alright, I'm used to it."

Sheldon smiled at his new wife. "The name suits you well." He leaned over and gave her a kiss.

"Oh, two in one day? That's a new record."

"Well, if our guests clink their glasses with silverware at the reception, that number is sure to increase."

Amy smiled. She rested her head on Sheldon's shoulder, causing him to smile as well. For the first time in each of their lives, they could _truly_ be happy. Nothing would ever separate them. Everything in the world was perfect.

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><p><strong>And so concludes my first ever Big Bang Theory fan fiction! Thanks to all who have read, reviewed, and favorited this story. <strong>


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